Safety-bridge for cars.



J. A. MUSGROVB, Jn. SAFETY BRIDGE FOR CARS. Arrnonron rmsn 'MAY 19. mos;

(Insane-1 Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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I I D WM a chain 12. pair of supporting arms are provided upon UNITEDsrxrns PATENT omnon JAMES A. MUSGROVE, JR, OF NORTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO OAMM H.

PATTESON, OF NORTON, VIRGINIA. I

SAFETY-BRIDGE FOR CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES A. MUSGROVE, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Norton, in the county of Wise and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Bridges for Cars, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety bridges for freight cars, and theobject of the invention is to provide the ends of cars with a flexibleyieldable platform which will eflectively support a person fallingbetween the cars.

With these objects in view the invention resides in the novelconstruction of elements and their arrangement in operative combina--tion, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewof a pair of freight cars provided with the improvement. Fig. 2 is apartial vertical longitudinal sectional view of one of the cars with theimprovement in position thereon. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one ofthe supporting arms.

In the accompanying drawings the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair ofconnected freight cars. Each of these cars have their adjoining endsthus provided with a pair of plates 3. These plates 3 are secured to theends of the car a suitable distance from the side thereof, and areprovided with ears 4, adapted for the reception of a knuckle 5 providedupon the horizontal portion 6 of an inclined supporting arm 7. This arm7 has its upper extremity offset, and secured to this offset is a buffermember 8 having its outer face rounded as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1and 2 of the drawings. This bufler member 8 has its inner face providednear its upper edges with suitable staples or eyes 9 and 10. The eye 10is adapted to receive a longitudinally extending flexible member, suchas a chain 11. The opposite end of the chain 11 is secured in anysuitable manner to the end of the cars adjacent the side thereof. Theeye 9 of the buffer is adapted for the reception of a transverseflexible member, such as It is to be understood that a the end of eachof the cars, and that the flexible element 12 connects with the buffersof both of the supporting arms. form upon each of the cars comprises aplurality of spaced flexible elements running Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 19, 1908.

The plat-' Patented March 16, 1909.

Serial No. 433,768.

transversely with the'end of the car and connected with the endlongitudinally extending flexible elements 11. A plurality of spacedlongitudinal flexible elements are also employed, and these elementsconnect with the transverse elements so as to provide a flexible,yieldable platform.

In order to retain the supporting arms 7 normally pressed away from theends of the cars so as to retain the platforms substan' reception of acotter pin, or like securing device, by which the rod is retained inposition upon the arm 7. Interposed between the inner face of the arm 7and the ears 14 is a helical spring 16, which normally tends to forcethe arm outward until contacted by the cotter pin or other securingdevice.

It is to be understood that when a pair of cars provided with theimprovement are coupled together, the buffers 8 contact with each other,and the platform being yieldable, as well as the supporting arms beingpivoted the car may readily round ordinary curves of the rails withoutinterfering with the flexible platforms.

In order that the platforms may be rendered sufliciently yieldable toallow the cars to round sharp curves in the rail, the end longitudinalflexible elements are provided with tension springs 17, and the outer,and if necessary next to the outer, transverse flexible element 12 isprovided with tensional springs 18, preferably centrally positioned. Bythis arrangement it will be noted that the platforms are readilyyieldable, and adapt themselves to the various inclinations which theends of the cars assume when rounding heads secured to the end sectionsof the flexible members. buffers, a plurality of transverse flexibleele- 2. A freight car having a pair of supportments connecting thelongitudinal elements, ing arms pivotally connected to the end 1 andaplurality offiexible elements connectthereof, buffers upon the arms,-tensional ling thetransverse elements and secured to devices normallyforcing the arms away the end of the car. from the car, means forlimiting the move- 'In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ment ofthe arms, eyes upon the bufier, 1 m presence of two witnesses. 1longitudinal flexible elements provided with JAMES A. MUSGROVE, atension element connected withone of the t element connecting theopposite eyes of the WVitnesse's eyes and to the end of the car, atransverse L. S. MOELRATH, flexible element 1 provided with 1 a:tensional MINERVA JOHN.

